Illuminated sign



March 7, 1933. w, WILEY ET AL 1,900,747

ILLUMINATED S IGN Filed Nov. 29, 1929 gwwmtow waZZaceKM Zey 71a ][czr/yJ 61461717 awn/rugs Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT err-leeWALLACE K. WILEY AND HARRY J; CUDNEY, or nurrAr o, new your ussreivonsno rLExLUurn CORPORATION, or 'rouawAnney rripr your; A COLBRQQZAfIiON orNEW YORK ILLUMINAT -n sreu Application filed November 29, 1929. SerialNo. 410,316;

- his invention relates to illuminated signs and is directed inparticular to a sign of this kind comprising companion raised glass andelectroluminescent display characters of similaroutline which may beilluminated to provide independent contrasting or combined displaylighting effects.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a sign of the typedescribed having characteristics Wl'llClllGIlClQl it available; as anon-illuminated.daylight sign, in which case the display, charactersutilized are preferably translucent and of the raised type, as anilluminated daylight sign having electroluminescent display charactersin which case having *boththe translucent characters and.

their companion like electroluminescent characters illuminatedat thesame time.

In general the invention proposes a combi nation sign involving the useof milk White or other translucent characters in conjunc tionw'vith likecharacters formed from neon or other electroluminescenttubes. Incarrying out the invention it is preferred to utilize for one set ofdisplay elements, characters of.

the kind described in the patent to R. R. and

WV. K. Viley and W. S. Hough No. 1,224,253 of May 1, 1917. In the saidpatent the display charactersdisclosed are formed from translucentglassand have'character strokes of the raisedtyge. This particular kindor character is preferred becauseof the diffusive qualities of the samewhereby the light rays are uniformly dififused throughout the characterand this despite the factthat the lamp may be positioned directlyibehindthe same. Such display characters have the further advantage that theyare clearly visible from various anglesdue to their raised ha a terstroke The like characters referred .toand which are utilized inconjunction with the translucent characters are, as stated heretofore,

preferably formed from electroluminescent tubes. The said tubes areshaped to provide display characters similar in outline .to theircompanion characters, 1t belng understood, of

course,that the electroluminescent characters may, if preferred, followin outlineonly a por ion o -th panion translu en characters. 1 Theattainment of the objectsrecited heretofore is permitted because of theindividual characteristics of the two ,typesof display h e s e p yed-Whereas; the ,el t luminescent tubes are transparent .wheninotilluminated, the glass characters behind them are translucent and can,therefore, be clearly ,seen through the former.

c This enables the use of the translucent characters independently ofthe electroluminescent characters and their efficiency is not materiallyimpaired by the non-illuminated .e'lectrolumineScent characters.

' The above, of course, isin connection with. a

daylight sign. The same result, ho v,vever, follows w en it edes u e dhaa igh Sign n hich the splay h r t p ferred are of raised milk v hite orother color glass. On the other hand, when it .is. desired that-the signconsist solely of electroluminescent characters the translucentcharactersin no Way detract fromthe disp1 qualitiesottheelectroluminescentcharacters. The .fact is, that thetranslucentcharacters add to the appearance of the electroluminescent characters inamanner which will be described more fully hereinafter. H

Heretoforeit has been .the, practice inthe manufacture of signs havingtheir display characters stormed from electroluminescent tubes,especiallyin largersigns, to paint upon the background of the signcharacters similar to those which. are to be providedby theelectroluminescent ,tubes, ,the color of the painted charactersdepending upon the color ofthe tubes Q-When illuminated. The electro-.

luminescent characters aresecured to the sign casing in such a mannerthat they are superposed upon correspondmg pamted characters, the widthof the painted characters being such that they stand out behind thecharacters formed by the electroluminescent tubes. The use of paintedcharacters in this connection is almost indispensible for should thepainted characters be omitted and the electroluminescent charactersbecome inoperative, the sign would be rendered entirely ineffective,this being due to the fact, of course, that the electroluminescentcharacters when not illuminated are transparent. IVhile paintedcharacters will avoid this should the electroluminescent tube becomeinoperative during day use they are without utility should theelectroluminescent characters become inoperative at night.

While the painted characters referred to serve to some extent thepurpose for which they are used in connection with day signs their useinvolves a number of disadvantages. First, the painted characters whichare usually red or blue absorb a large part of the light from theelectroluminescent characters, which light is, therefore, a loss insofaras display purposes are concerned. Secondly, the painted characters are,of course, substantially flush with the surface of the background uponwhich they appear and are hard to read when viewed at any substantialangle. Third, should the electroluminescent tube fail at night thepainted letters are not readable and the sign is rendered ineffective.

In providing a construction of sign in accordance with this inventionwhich will carry out the objects recited heretofore, the disadvantagesarising from the use of painted characters are avoided. The translucentcharacters are proportionately of the same width as the paintedcharacters heretofore used and when neither the electroluminescentcharacters nor the translucent characters are illuminated, thispresupposing the use of the sign as a day sign, the translucentcharacters serve the same purpose as the painted characters heretoforeused.

Further advantages arising from the use of characters of thisdescription are; that any light which is not reflected by them isdiffused uniformly throughout their extent to illuminate the same, thatthe raised glass characters are legible at various angles with respectto the sign face, that the milk white letters may be independentlyilluminated by lamps behind the same to render the display charactersclearly visible should the electroluminescent characters fail at nightwhen the milk white letters are not independently illuminated.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a front plan view of the display face of a sign havingraised translucent charactors and like electroluminescent characterssuperposed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 21s a section taken along hne 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken along line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showmg a modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a section taken along line 55 of Fig. 4.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a double face sign asthis is usually the preferred type. It is to be understood, of course,that the invention is equally applicable to single face signs.

In carrying out the invention a hollow sign casing S is preferablyemployed and is provided on its opposite display faces with stenciledopenings through which the raised character strokes of the translucentcharacters 6 project. These display characters may be illuminated by thelamps 7 positioned behind the same and which are supported in anysuitable manner as at 8. This much of the construction of the sign issubstantially in conformance with the type of signs disclosed in the lViley et al. Patent No. 1,224,253 of May 1, 1917. These characters areadapted to provide a sign of attractive appearance either in the day orat night, in the latter case the lamps 7 being illuminated.

In accordance with the invention, electroluminescent characters 9 aresupported in close proximity to the companion raised glass characters 6of similar outline. The said electroluminescent characters are securedin the desired position in any suitable manner. As illustrated, thissecurement is obtained by small Wire clips 10 which are bent around thetubular electroluminescent characters and their ends inserted throughsmall holes in the raised glass characters and bent against the innersurface of the same.

The electroluminescent characters are adapted to be connected within thesign casing to a source of electrical energy (not shown). The terminalor electrode portions of the tube may, therefore, be bent for insertionthrough holes formed in the raised glass characters or they may beextended beyond the raised glass characters and bent to enable theirinsertion in glass receptacles secured to the sign faces.

This latter construction in which the terminal portions of theelectroluminescent characters are extended beyond the display portionsof the translucent characters may be desired as in this construction itis unnecessary to form any holes of substantial diameters in thetranslucent characters. In the first mentioned method while it isnecessary to form holes in the translucent characters in order toconnect the electrodes of the electroluminescent characters to a sourceof electrical energy the complete character presents a very pleasingfinished appearance and may be preferable in some instances. It is to beunderstood, however, that the electroluminescent characters may beconnected to a source of electrical energy inany desired manner, the twoconstructions shown beingable their insertion in the receptacles 12which may be secured to the sign face in any suitablemanner, the saidreceptacles being connected to a source of electrical energy (notshown). The receptacles 12 are preferably of the kind disclosed in theapplication of WViley, VVile'y and Cudney, Serial No. 293,565, filedJuly 18, 1928. Those p0rtions of the electroluminescent tubes whichpreferably form no part of the display character but which are in frontof a translucent I character may be colored in order to provide thedesired effect, said colored portions being preferably extended to thepoints indicated at 13.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 the terminalor electrode portions of the electroluminescent tube which form thedisplay character extend through openings 14 formed in the translucentcharacter at the desired points. With this construction it is preferredto connect the lead-in wires directly to the end of the electrodes bymeans of spring clips 15.

The transformers (not shown) necessary to supply the requisite highvoltage current to the electroluminescent characters to illuminate thesame are preferably positioned within the sign casing at points wherethey will not interfere with the lighting of the translucent characters.

In the construction of the sign illustrated the width of theelectroluminescent tube employed'in forming the desired character issubstantially less than the width of the character strokes of thetranslucent characters,

The said electroluminescent characters 9 are secured against theircorresponding translucent characters. In this connection it is to benoted'that in the formation of certain letters in returning the tubefrom the end of one stroke to start the be nning of another stroke it isnecessary to form fold in the tube which.

from their corresponding translucent charac ters that any foldsoccurrlng 1n the elec'tro-, luminescent characters will be provided for.

It thus may be desirable in order to position all of the displayportions of the electroluminescent characters in the same plane tosecure such portions to the translucent characters at a distancetherefrom equal to substantially twice the diameter of the tubeemployed.

A combination sign of the type described is capable of producing avariety of lighting effects and may be produced at a relatively lowcost. Independently of the electroluminescent characters the sign isavailable by vir- ,tueof the translucent characters either as a day ornight sign. During the utilization of the sign in this manner theelectroluminescent characters which are not illuminated and are,therefore, transparent, do not interfere to any appreciable extent withthe display characteristics of the translucent characters. On the otherhand the electroluminescent characters may be illuminated to provideeither a day or night sign without the illumination of the translucentcharacters.

illuminated by independent lamps they function in a manner similar tothe painted characters which have been employed heretofore, that is tosay, to impart to the electroluminescent character the appearance ofhaving broad character strokes, or should the electroluminescentcharacters fail, to provide display characters for the sign.

In addtion to the above effects attainable by this kind of sign apleasing and attractive effect is produced by simultaneous illuminationof both the electroluminescent characters and the companion translucentcharacters.

As heretofore described, upon illumination by the lamps 7, the lightproduced is uniformly diffused throughout the raised glass characters toimpart to the character strokes of the translucent characters theappearance of cold bars of white light.

The illuminated electroluminescent characters provide the translucentcharacters with center strokes of a color depending on the particulargas employed as the electroluminescent medium, for example, bright redin the case of neon. Thus when the translucent characters are milk whitein color the letter produced by the companion characters consists of acenterstroke of bright red and marginal strokes of brilliant white. I Ifit is desired, a different arrangement" of the color strokes of thecharacters may be obtained by providing electroluminescent characterswhich cooperate with their companion In the use of the f sign while thetranslucent characters are not sign faces in cooperative positions withtheir companion translucent characters without the necessity of formingholes in the translucent characters.

In outlining the translucent characters by electroluminescentcharacters, a display character is provided having a center stroke ofwhite and outlining strokes in color, as distinguished from theconstruction illustrated in which the center strokes are in color andthe outlined ones white. Raised white glass characters when outlined inthe manner described provided an attractive and striking effect whenboth the. raised white glass charcters and the outlining characters areilluinina'tcd at the same time, the raised glass characters standin outwith intense whiteness in contrast to the color border provided by theelectroluminescent characters.

In connection with illuminating the display characters of the sign it isto be noted, assuming the use of milk white translucent characters inconjunction with neon tubes, that, regardless of the arrangement of suchcharacters, when the electroluminescent c iaracters are illuminatedwithout illuminating th translucent characters by their independentlighting means 7 a translucent oisplay character is provided havingcharacter strokes which have a pinkish tinge with the neon charactersappearing in bright red, the pinkish inge being due to the fact that apart of the red light from the electroluminescent tube is diffusedthroughout the translucent character. Notwithstanding this fact, whenthe lamps '1' inside the sign are illuminater the pinkish tinge of thetranslucent characters disappears and they take on a brilliant whi eappearance.

By virtue of these contrasting lighting effects a striking andattractive illuminated s gn may he provided by illuminating thecompanion display characters singularly and then simultaneously, i. e.illuminating the translucent chrmcters by the lamps 7, then illuminatingthe electroluminescent characters without illuminating the said lamps,and then illuminating both at the same time. When tire sin 1 isilluminated in this manner and the lamps '4" are first illuminated thetranslucent letters ppear as cold bars of white light. Upon theillumination of the electroluminescent characters simultaneously withdisconncr i g the lamp '4' fromasourceofelectricener the resultantcharacters have character s relics of a definite color in accordancewith the employed and the translucent char.- acters have a t. we of suchcolor, for example a pinkish tinge if the gas be neon. When the lamps 7are then illuminated simultaneously with the electroluminescentcharacters, the resultant display characters have character strokes ofthe definite color and bright white strokes, the relative arrangement ofsuch colors depending in any case upon the particular arrangement of theelectroluminescent characters.

When the invention is applied to a double face sign of the formillustrated, a portion of the light from the electroluminescentcharacters which passes through the translucent characters, is reflectedby the inner surfaces of ti o translucent characters to the oppositeside of the sign where a portion of the same is diffused throughout thetranslucent characters upon tnat side of the sign. This cross reflectionof the light produced by the electroluminescent tubes is in effectsimilar in many respects to the cross reflection of the light producedby the lamps 7 within the sign casing substantially as described in theheretofore mentioned lViley et a1. patent. The difiused and reflectedlight from the electroluminescent characters, therefore, tends toheighten the illumination of the translucent characters.

Having fully described our invention, we claim:

1. An illuminated sign adapted to provide a number of contrastinglighting eli'ects in the illumination of the display characters thereofcomprising a sign casing having an opening therein co responding to theoutline of a display character, a translucent element secured to saidsign for display through said opening. means within the sign casing forilluminating said element, a second display element formed from anelectroluminescent tube and following in outline a portion of thecharacter formed by said translucent element and the opening in saidcasing, said second element being secured to said sign in closeproximity to said translucent element.

2. An illuminated sign adapted to provide number of contrasting lightingeffects in the illumination of the display characters thereof comprisinga sign casing having an opening therein corresponding to the outline ofa display character, a translucent display element secured to said signfor display through said opening, means within the sign casing forilluminating said elen cut, a second display element formed from anelectroluminescent tube and followin in outline the character formed bysaid translucent element and the opening in said casing, said secondelement being secured to said sign in close proximity to saidtranslucent element.

3. Au illuminated s l ada )tcd to provide a number of contrastinglighting ci'ects in the illumination of the cisplay characters thereofcomprising a sign casing having an opening therein corresponding outlineto a display character, a translucent element secured to said sign fordisplay through said opening and formed with raised character strokeswhich extend tirough said opening, means within said casing forilluminating said charact r strokes, a second display element formedfrom an electroluminescent tube and following in outline a portion ofthe raised character strokes of said translucent element, and means forsecuring said second display element in close proximity to saidtranslucent display element.

4. An illuminated sign adapted to provide a number of contrastinglighting effects in the illumination of the display characters thereofcomprising a sign casing having an opening therein corresponding inoutline to a display character, a translucent element secured to, saidsign for display through said opening and formed withraised characterstrokes which extend through said opening, means Within said casing forilluminating said character strokes, a second display element formedfrom an electroluminescent I tube and following in outline the raisedcharacter strokes of said translucent element and means for securingsaid second display element in close proximity to said translucentdisplay element.

5. An illuminated sign adapted to be illuminated to provide a number ofcontrast ing lighting effects in the illumination of the displaycharacters thereof comprising a sign casing having an opening thereincorresponding to the outline of a display character, a translucentdisplay element having raised character strokes adapted to extendthrough said opening, means within said casing for illuminating saidelement, a second display element formed from an electroluminescent tubeand following in outline a portion of said translucent element andhaving its terminal portions bent to extend into said casing forconnection to power said second element being secured in close proximityto said translucent element.

6. A double face illuminated sign having display characters on theopposite faces thereof and adapted to provide a number of contrastinglighting effects in the illumination of the display characters of thesign comprising a sign casing having openings in its opposite sidescorresponding to the outlines of display characters, a translucentdisplay element secured to said sign for display through each openinghaving its character strokes in relief and adapted to extend through anopening, the inner surface of said element constituting a reflector forlight, means within said. casing for illuminating said element, a seconddisplay element its opposite sides corresponding to the outlines ,ordisplay characters, a translucent dis play element secured to said signfor display through each opening having its character strokes in reliefand adapted to extend through an opening, the inner surface of saidelement constituting a reflector for light, means within said casing forilluminating said element, a second display element formed from anelectroluminescent tube and following in outline the character strokesof said translucent element, said second display element being securedin close proximity to said translucent element.

8. An illuminated sign adapted to provide a number of contrastinglighting effects in the illumination of the display characters thereof,comprising a sign panel having an opening therein corresponding to theoutline of a display character, a translucent display element havingraised character strokes extending through said opening and followingthe outline thereof, illuminating means at the rear of said opening, asecond display element formed from an electroluminescent signatures.

' WALLACE K. WILEY.

HARRY J. CUDNEY.

formed from an electroluminescent tube and .7

comprising a sign casing having openings in

